In school performance testing, a school's performance is primarily evaluated based on 89 indicators related to four main areas: input, process, output/achievement, and stakeholder satisfaction. These are explained as follows:
Indicators for School Rating
A. Input
Under the input area, school performance is evaluated based on three sub-areas – physical infrastructure, teacher resources, and community participation – and their corresponding 27 indicators. The total score obtained by the school across these 27 indicators (out of a full mark of 81) is weighted at 25% to determine the school's overall input score.
- School Physical Infrastructure: This sub-area within the input area assesses the school's physical infrastructure based on various indicators, including the school grounds' area, playground, buildings, and 16 other factors. This sub-area has a total full mark of 48.
- Teacher Resources: The teacher resources sub-area within the input area evaluates aspects such as teacher availability, qualifications, attendance, and other relevant factors based on seven indicators. This sub-area has a total full mark of 21.
- Community Participation and Investment: The next sub-area within the input area, community participation and investment, is evaluated based on four indicators: land, building, financial support, and overall participation provided by the community to the school. This sub-area has a total full mark of 12.
B. Process
The second of the three main areas in school performance testing is the process. Under this area, five sub-areas have been identified: classroom teaching, student assessment, professional development of teachers, leadership and management, and co-/extracurricular activities.
This area is evaluated based on 46 indicators and a total full mark of 138. The marks obtained from the indicators within this area are weighted at 30% for the overall evaluation to determine the actual score. When analyzing the overall status of the process area, this 30% weighted score is considered the basis.
Similarly, when analyzing at the sub-area level, the marks obtained out of the full marks for that specific sub-area are considered.
- Classroom Teaching: One sub-area within the process area, classroom teaching, is evaluated based on 10 indicators: lesson planning, use of teaching materials, discussion and interactive teaching, use of technology in teaching, collaborative teaching based on individual differences, homework, positive reinforcement in teaching, teaching improvement plan, action research, and classroom management. This sub-area has a total full mark of 30.
- Student Assessment: The second sub-area within the process area, student assessment, evaluates continuous student assessment, the use of formative assessment, question paper construction, answer sheet checking, publication of examination results, and the analysis and feedback, based on six indicators. This sub-area has a total full mark of 18.
- Professional Development of Teachers: The third sub-area within the process area is the professional development of teachers. This sub-area is evaluated based on seven indicators, including measures adopted for professional development, creative work, and observation visits. This sub-area has a total full mark of 21.
- Leadership and Management: The leadership and management sub-area within the process area is evaluated based on 17 indicators, including the formation, meetings, decisions, and implementation of decisions by the School Management Committee and the Parent-Teacher Association. This sub-area has a total full mark of 51.
- Co- and Extracurricular Activities: The status of co- and extracurricular activities, a sub-area within the process area, is studied through six indicators, including their planning, implementation, and the participation of the school and students in competitions. This sub-area has a total full mark of 18.
C. Output/Achievement
Among the areas of school performance testing, the output/achievement area has three sub-areas: student regularity, grade repetition and dropout rates, learning achievement, stakeholder satisfaction, and teacher professional satisfaction. This area includes 15 indicators and a total full mark of 45. For the overall analysis of this achievement area, the score obtained by the school is weighted at 40% to calculate the actual score. However, when analyzing a sub-area, the marks obtained out of the full marks allocated to that specific sub-area are considered.
- Regularity, Dropout, and Grade Repetition Rates: Regularity, dropout, and grade repetition rates are evaluated based on six indicators: student regularity in grades 5 and 8, student dropout rates in grades 5 and 8, and student grade repetition rates in grades 5 and 8. This sub-area has a total full mark of 18.
- Learning Achievement: Learning achievement is evaluated based on five indicators, including the change in the average learning achievement in Nepali and Mathematics for grades 5 and 8 over the past two years, as well as the average GPA in the Secondary Education Examination. This sub-area has a total full mark of 15.
- Stakeholder Satisfaction: The school's stakeholder satisfaction is evaluated based on two indicators: parent satisfaction and student satisfaction. This sub-area has a total full mark of six.
- Teacher Professional Satisfaction: Teacher professional satisfaction is evaluated based on two indicators: satisfaction with the school's progress and satisfaction with their profession. This sub-area has a total full mark of six.
D. Students Served
As per the provisions of the Education Regulations, the school performance testing tool includes a system to award marks to schools on a scale of 0 to 5, divided into six levels. This is done by comparing the number of students the school served in the previous year with the minimum number of students generally required per class.
School Rating Calculation
Overall, when assessing the school's performance level, the four main aspects used – input, process, output/achievement, and students served – are considered to present a comprehensive evaluation of the school's status.
Different weights are assigned when determining the level based on these four areas;
- Input is weighted at 25%,
- Process at 30%
- Output/achievement at 40%, and
- The number of students served at 5%.
The following table shows the number of indicators, full marks, and the actual weight used for analysis at the area and sub-area levels based on the provisions mentioned above.
| Sub-area | Number of Indicators | Full Marks |
| 1.1 School Physical Infrastructure | 16 | 48 |
| 1.2 Teachers | 7 | 21 |
| 1.3 Community Participation and Investment | 4 | 12 |
| Total for Input Area | 27 | 81 |
| Weightage for Input: 25% | ||
| 2.1 Classroom Teaching | 10 | 30 |
| 2.2 Student Assessment | 6 | 18 |
| 2.3 Professional Development of Teachers | 7 | 21 |
| 2.4 Leadership and Management | 17 | 51 |
| 2.5 Co- and Extracurricular Activities | 6 | 18 |
| Total for Process Area | 46 | 138 |
| Weightage for Process: 30% | ||
| 3.1 Student Regularity, Grade Repetition, and Dropout Rates | 6 | 18 |
| 3.2 Learning Achievement | 5 | 15 |
| 3.3 Stakeholder Satisfaction | 2 | 6 |
| 3.4 Teacher Professional Satisfaction | 2 | 6 |
| Total for Output/Achievement Area | 15 | 45 |
| Weightage for Output/Achievement: 40% | ||
| Students Served | 1 | 5 |
| Weightage for Students Served: 5% |
Analysis of School Performance Level
- The performance testing of each school is conducted by expert individuals. These experts perform the evaluation based on specific indicators for each school through necessary verification, classroom observation, interaction with stakeholders, discussions, and meetings.
- For each indicator, a maximum score of 3 and a minimum score of 0 can be awarded.
- For the 88 indicators related to input, process, and output/achievement, scores ranging from 0 to 3 can be given.
- Based on the number of students served, a score ranging from 0 to 5 is awarded according to the following criteria:
Table: Basis for Determining School Level Based on the Number of Students Served
| Basis | Marks |
| If the number of students is less than 25% of the prescribed minimum number | 0 |
| If the number of students is 25-50% of the prescribed minimum number | 1 |
| If the number of students is 50-75% of the prescribed minimum number | 2 |
| If the number of students is 75-90% of the prescribed minimum number | 3 |
| If the number of students is 90-100% of the prescribed minimum number | 4 |
| If the number of students is 100% or more of the prescribed minimum number | 5 |
After awarding marks based on the aforementioned areas, sub-areas, and indicators for input, process, and output/achievement, the marks obtained in these three areas are converted into weighted scores of 25, 30, and 40 respectively.
The five full marks obtained based on the number of students served are retained as a weighted score of five. By adding these weighted scores together, the school's actual weighted score out of a total of 100 is calculated. The following table is used to calculate the school's actual weighted score:
Table: Method for Calculating Marks Obtained by the School in Different Areas of Testing
| Area | Weightage | Real score of a school |
| Input | 25% | X/81*25 (X is total marks obtained by school) |
| Process | 30% | Y/138*30 (Y is total marks obtained by school) |
| Output/Achievement | 40% | Z/45*40 (Z is total marks obtained by school) |
| Number of Students served | 5% | Marks of the School |
| Total | 100% | = |
Once the marks are determined out of a total of 100 based on the actual weighted score, the school's overall level is determined according to the following criteria as outlined in the school performance testing framework:
Table: Basis for Determining the Overall School Level
| Level | Score Range | |
| Weak | Less than 40% | |
| Average | 40-70% | |
| Good | 70-90% | |
| Excellent | 90% or more |
